NEW YORK (AP) For the third consecutive year, Lionel Messi has earned more money than any other player in Major League Soccer, with a total yearly salary of $20,446,667, which is more than the combined salary of 21 teams.
According to a statement released by the Major League Soccer Players Association on Wednesday, Messi’s base pay is $12 million.
His numbers account for any marketing bonuses and agency fees associated with his MLS contract, which expires in 2025. They do not take into consideration any performance bonuses or other contracts with the team or its affiliates.
The average guaranteed salary increased by 9.2% from $594,389 in May 2024 to $649,120.
As of May 23, Messi’s Inter Miami had the highest payroll in the league, at a record $46.8 million, up from $41.7 million at the end of the previous campaign. Miami’s salary was double that of every other team except Atlanta ($27.6 million) and Toronto ($34.1 million).
At $23.2 million, Cincinnati came in fourth place, followed by Chicago ($22.1 million), Los Angeles FC ($22.4 million), and the reigning champion LA Galaxy ($22.9 million).
At $20 million, expansion San Diego came in tenth.
With a salary of just less than $12 million, Montreal had the lowest among the league’s 30 teams. With $13.4 million, Philadelphia came in at number 29.
Lorenzo Insigne of Toronto came in second with a total compensation of $15.4 million, followed by Sergio Busquets of Miami ($8,774,996), Miguel Almir of Atlanta ($7,871,000), Hirving Chucky Lozano of San Diego ($7,633,333), Federico Bernardeschi of Toronto ($6,295,381), Emil Forsberg of the New York Red Bulls ($6,023,625), Jordi Alba of Miami ($6 million), Riqui Puig of the LA Galaxy ($5,779,688), Jonathan Bomba of Chicago ($5,581,806), and Hany Mukhtar of Nashville ($5,311,667).
50 players made $2 million or more, up from 44, while 11 players made $5 million or more, up from nine at the beginning of the previous season. Compared to 115 at the beginning of last year, there were now 131 at $1 million or more.
All 902 signed players received $586 million in total compensation, which was up 12.9% from $519 million at the beginning of 2024, 27.4% from $460 million at the beginning of 2023, and 48.7% from $394 million at the beginning of 2022.
The New York Red Bulls forward Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting ($3,530,667), Cincinnati forward K vin Denkey ($3.81 million), Charlotte winger Wilfried Zaha ($2,751,667), and Atlanta striker Emmanuel Latte Lath ($4,030,546 in total salary) were among the other noteworthy additions.
Portland midfielder David Da Costa was valued at $3,425,000, while Los Angeles forward Olivier Giroud was valued at $3,675,000.
The total compensation for U.S. national team players was as follows: Walker Zimmerman, a defender for Nashville; Jordan Morris, a winger for Seattle; Jes s Ferreira, a forward for Seattle; Djordje Mihailovic, a midfielder for Colorado; Miles Robinson, a defender for Cincinnati; Miles Robinson, a defender for Cincinnati; Cristian Rold, a midfielder for Seattle; Luca de la Torre, a midfielder for San Diego; Tim Ream, a defender for Charlotte; Zack Steffen, the goalkeeper for Colorado; DeAndre Yedlin, a right back for Cincinnati; and Reggie Cannon, a Colorado defender, $841,500.
Patrick Agyemang, a forward for Charlotte who has scored three goals for the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, makes $104,000 a year. Goalie Matt Freese ($420), defender Alex Freeman ($108), and Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna ($499,833) are other Gold Cup players.
